A Heart That Beats For One
by lakeia
Summary: The decisions that Bella thought were so easy are turning out to be more difficult than she thought. My entry written for the Valentine's Day Ficathon at the Jacob/Bella livejournal community, "Sort of Beautiful" Prompts: Three things you wanted to se


**Title**: A Heart That Beats For One

**Rating**: Mature/NC-17

**Characters**: Jacob/Bella, Edward, OCs

**Summary**: The decisions that Bella thought were so easy are turning out to be more difficult than she thought.

**Word Count**: 9,350

**Prompts**: Three things you wanted to see: Jacob imprinting on Bella, Edward coming back to find Bella/Jacob happy (maybe even married), and porn with lots of plot (seductive Jacob).

Three things you didn't want to see: No Breaking Dawn, Porn without plot, and Twilight.

**Author's Note**: Late I know, but I got it in. Okay, I tried my best to include all the prompts, but I should have put down that I could not or did not want to see imprinting, which would imply that I also would not want to write it. I don't find it to be realistic to any story regarding Jacob and Bella and I didn't include _Stephanie Meyer's_ version of imprinting. Personally, I've always thought of werewolves as very carnal and animalistic creatures with very strong sexual urges and desires. ;)

**Special Thanks to: Holliegolitelie **for being a ROCKSTAR of a beta reader! She asked the big questions that forced me to work just a little bit harder. Your assistance throughout my mess of a first draft was a gift from the fiction gods! Lol! 

**Update:** As of **3/31/2009**: A Companion Soundtrack (Cover art & 9 tracks) to this fic is available for download via my livejournal (.com/). I used Steven because I didn't picture baby face Taylor in…certain scenes, if you understand and he is just 17 so that would be weird. Steven Strait FTW!

***

"Oh Jacob…"

Bella Swan sighed, contently nestled against the firmness of Jacob Black's chest. The homely scent of dry Earth and pine engulfed her as his arms encircled her middle, his towering frame pressed against her small, lithe body.

"I wish I could keep you Bells," he whispered, nuzzling his face into her chocolate locks. She could feel his breath brushing against her ear. "Just let me keep you..."

Wrapped in the warmth of his arms, her eyes slowly closed as she felt her feet begin to move, shuffling to a slow, non-existent melody that played in the background just for them. Just for this moment. She clutched him tighter as he ran a loving hand over her hair**,** tears in her eyes.

She didn't object to the idea.

As a matter of fact**, **if she were to be completely honest with herself, a part of her relished the thought of staying wrapped up in Jacob's arms forever—to have that constant warmth and love that he provided always with her. But to want such a thing was purely selfish and fickle on her part.

It was her choice to give up her human life in order to be with Edward. She'd made peace with that decision, but what weighed so heavily on her heart was the fact that once again, she was hurting Jacob in the process. These days it seemed like that was all she was good for—causing him pain.

Bella's feet stopped moving as she pulled back to look up at him. The look on Jacob's face broke her heart. It was the face of a shattered man.

The carefree features of the young boy she once knew were long gone. A part of her wished she could blame the precious loss on the transformation from man to wolf, but even she was incapable of fooling herself to such a degree. She was responsible for the sadness that masked Jacob's face and the way his smile no longer reached his eyes. What hurt the most was the fact that he'd lost such a beautiful part of himself just to make room for her tortuous love.

She didn't deserve someone as good as Jacob. The selflessness he displayed at times stabbed her like a knife to the gut because it only served as a reminder of his capacity to love so deeply.

And he wasted it—he wasted it all on her.

She reached up and brushed back an unruly lock of hair from his eyes.

"I love you so much Jake." Her voice was breaking as the tears spilled over, rolling down her pale cheeks. It hurt to say because like him, she knew that it meant everything, yet changed nothing. "You're the best person I know."

Jacob offered her asmile. "Oh honey," he soothed. "Please don't cry." He ran both of his thumbs over her cheeks as he cupped her face, wiping away the wetness. Bella choked back a sob in an effort to control herself.

He was doing it again.

He was showing such concern for her well**-**being at the expense of his own feelings. It only made Bella want to cry harder.

_When would his generosity end?_ She wondered before reaching up to take a hold of one of his hands. She looked down at it carefully—thoughtfully. She took in the deep, russet coloring that she'd deemed sort of beautiful, the size, the rough texture that was a clear result of working on the Rabbit and the Sprint in his garage, and the incredible _warmth. _Gosh, she could never get over the warmth.

She loved Jacob's hands.

His hands had saved her; held and comforted her when she'd needed it the most. Like the cars and bikes that he'd worked miracles on, his hands had performed miracles on her.

Without giving it a second thought, Bella placed a gentle kiss just above his knuckles before replacing it against her cheek. _What can I do? _ She asked herself, nuzzling against it contently. _How can I make this alright for him? _

He smiled once more, caressing her cheek with his free hand before pulling her back against his chest. He kissed the top of her head as he held her.

Jacob had taken care of Bella so much; she wondered how she could return such love when all her actions thus far had merely proven that his love was not enough—that he was not enough.

She turned her head slightly, placing a kiss just over his heart as her fingers foundtheir way under the hem of his gray t-shirt. They must have felt like ice against his fevered body but if he experienced any discomfort by her touch, he never let it show. She ran her hand shamelessly up the strength of his back, taking in the tautness of his muscles and how his body molded so perfectly against her own while resting in his arms.

"Jacob…" Bella breathed thickly. Her voice sounded whimsical; far away, as if it did not actuallybelong to her. She rose onto the balls of her feet, placing another kiss in the curve of Jacob's neck. She allowed her lips to linger there as she dug the tips of her fingers into the skin of his back. She pulled back to face him and although she was uncertain of what exactly he saw, she knew what she felt. She removed her hands from underneath his shirt and wrapped them around his neck, bringing his lips down to hers.

This left no room for confusion.

From previous experience, Bella knew that Jacob's kisses could never be described as chaste or tame so she was not surprised in the least when he devoured her mouth with his own after a few seconds of contact. He grabbed a fistful of her hair while his other hand found it way around her waist. He ran his tongue over her bottom lip, begging for entry inside her mouth. She immediately obliged, sucking greedily as their tongues caressed and worked in unisonwith each other.

With little effort, Jacob hoisted her up before she wrapped her legs tightly around his narrow hips. He removed his other hand from her hair, allowing both of them to run up and down her body. He pawed at her thighs before cupping her ass, pressing her even more firmly against him. She moaned into his mouth, feeling his growing hardness against her inner thigh. His hands traveled up her back before finding their way underneath her white, button down shirt. With the added heat and sensation of his hands gripping and pawing at her bare skin with such want and urgency, Bella felt a growing ache and wetness ignite between her legs.

It was so clear now.

The whole day, she and Jacob had been trying so desperately to hold onto to what they were to each other. To solidify their moments together—the time spent talking, holding each other and just being Jake and Bells—but Bella wanted so much more for him. He deserved more than just memories and reminders of what could have been. Edward had her heart and her future. This much was true, but there was still a part of her that no man had a claim over. A part of herself that only she possessed and at that moment wanted nothing more than to offer it to Jacob Black.

She'd taken a part of him; the light in his eyes, the innocence in his voice. It was only fitting that he take the most precious part of her.

She would be honored.

For one night—for tonight, she could be Jacob's. His love could mean everything. For one glorious night, she could flourish in the sun and prove to Jacob that his love was a gift to betreasured, even if it could not be treasured by her.

With some effort on her part and hesitation from Jacob to relinquish her lips from his, she pulled away, taking a few deep breaths.

"Bella…?" Jacob breathed.

She looked at him and could have sworn she saw a spark in his eye—a glimmer of the old Jake who was so elated and welcoming that his mood was practically contagious His voice was unguarded. It reminded her of the open tone she'd come to associate with him after spending endless days in his garage in La Push,just chatting away about anything and everything.

It was a beautiful sight and whatever little reservations Bella may have had about giving herself to him were immediately tossed aside.

"I want you to make love to me Jake," she professed. "…Just make love to me."

Jacob stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, speechless, before slowly detangling himself from her. He gently pulled her arms from around his neck, placing her down on her own two feet. She looked up at him with confusion in her brown eyes.

"What did you just say?" He asked.

"I want… to make love to you." Bella repeated. She wished her voice sounded as confident as it had a few seconds ago but his reaction to hearing her words wasnot what she had anticipated. He seemed… disheartened by them, afraid even.

She took a step closer.

He took a step back.

Jacob hadn't intended to get so carried away when Bella had kissed him (or… when he'd kissed her) but the feel of her body pressed so intimately against him as she pulled his lips to hers was too much. The prospect of not seeing her again due to her leech of a boyfriend, no correction, her leech of a _fiancé_,gave him the incentive to take a few liberties. _She didn't seem to mind,_ he reminded himself, remembering her moans of pleasure just a few minutes ago. But that did not prepare him to hear the words she'd just spoken.

He took a seat on the arm of the living room sofa, sighing heavily. "You know, Bells, sometimes I think you hate me," he confessed.

Bella was unable to hide the hurt that flashed in her eyes. She straightened up her shirt, suddenly self-conscious of her appearance. No, that most definitely was not the reaction she'd anticipated from him. She was horrified that he would even think such a thing.

"How could—of course I don't hate you Jacob! I could never hate you!" She argued.

"Then why would you say something like that to me Bells?" Jacob demanded. He was dealing with her decision the best he could. He loved her and he'd begged her to choose him, but she didn't. As her friend and _only _her friend, he didn't have a say in the matter, but he refused to let her have it both ways. They'd tried that already and it didn't work for either party involved.

"Because… I can't picture my life without you in it." She answered slowly, voice just above a whisper.

Jacob's frown deepened.

_Obviously she could since she'd chosen __him_, Jacob thought bitterly, referring to the creature Bella would be giving up her life for in just a matter of weeks.

What he couldn't understand was how her asking him to make love to her would be considered a good idea given their current situation. It wouldn't stop her from going back to Edward. It wouldn't stop her from becoming a vampire. What exactly did she hope to accomplish by giving herself to him when she was already promised to someone else?

"I want to…I need…"Bella sighed. She realized that she was stuttering and it wasn't helping at all. She understood that Jacob just wanted to know the truth, but what could she say? That deep down she wanted a part of herself to be kept by him and only him?

It was clear to Jacob that this was not easy for her. He could see the struggle in her eyes as she tried to work it all out in her head. Her arms folded across her chest. It was her defense mechanism. She used the stance to hold herself together. He never imagined that she'd have to use it to face him.

Bella ran a nervous hand through her hair before taking a deep breath. "I'm not ready to say goodbye to you Jacob." She confessed.

It was the simplest truth that she knew. He'd become such an important part of her life that she didn't know if she could just walk away and never see him again.

She understood that it was his choice to not see her… _after,_ and she would respect that. But it couldn't be the end, could it? It wasn't enough—just spendingthe day together then and going their separate ways. It wasn't right. They meant too much to each other for that to be the end of it all.

"I want to be with you Jake."She spoke softly. "Just for tonight, let me be with you."

She was standing in front of him now, looking at him with a longing in her eyes. Tentatively, she reached out to him, grateful that he did not shy away from her touch as before. She ran her hands up his chest before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"…_let me be with you…_" She repeated, whispering in his ear.

Jacob's jaw was set as he stared into her eyes. To him, her request held all sorts of complications for them. He'd be lying to himself if he said he didn't want to. If he said he'd never thought about what it would be like to be with her in that way. It would be so easy to bend to her will once again. But at the same time, when wouldit end?

"I can't Bells."

His voice was regretful as he removed her hands from his neck, shaking his head. He stood up and headed for the front door. "I'm sorry, I just can't." He ran a frustrated hand over his face. "It's not enough. As much as I'd love to be with you—make love to you—we'd just end up hurting each other more than we already have."

A couple of months ago, he would have played this game with her because it was better than the alternative of being without her. She wasn't the only one who knew the pain of them being apart, but he didn't want to do this anymore; this constant pulling and pushing away that seemed to make up the bulk of their relationship.

"Jake, please don't…" Bella pleaded and realized that in more ways than one, she sounded pathetic. But furthermore, she couldn't bring herself to care. She hadn't meant for her… _request_ to upset him, or push him away. It wasn't supposed to end like this_. _

_But what did you expect?_ Her conscious chastised. _That you'd offer____him your virginity and he'd be so grateful that he'd be okay with the fact that you still planned to leave him in order to be with Edward_?

Jacob wondered just how much of himself he hadto give to her before she took everything he had. She already had his love, his dignity (or at least the little bit he deluded himself into thinking he still possessed). For all intents and purposes, Bella Swan owned him, but she would be married soon and the Bella he knew would be gone.

A small part of him wondered if the undeniable hold she had on him would be lifted as well when the day came. If there would ever be a time in the very near future when he would not wake up with an intense longing to be with her.

He opened the door and gestured outside. "Bella I need you to leave."

He hated to do it.

Their day together had been so nice but he didn't want to ruin it with something that neither of them could take back. He had to draw a line somewhere. At some point (and he'd admit that it took him long enough to come to this realization), self preservation had to take precedent over blind devotion. Especially with what was to come.

Tears flowed freely down Bella's face as she stepped across the threshold. Taking a slow, deep breath, she turned to face him. She didn't know how this had happened. All she wanted was for them to have one night together. She hadn't thought—she couldn't really blame him for refusing her. It was stupid for her to even have proposed such a thing. Jacob was right—it wouldn't be enough.

It would only have made it harder for her to walk away from him. It was absolutely heart**-**wrenching now so she could not imaginehaving to say goodbye after sharing such an intimate part of herself with him.

…_Maybe that was the point._

"Hey," Jacob breathed as he looked down at her.

He knew he was hurting her and that was the last thing he wanted to do. He'd made a promise to her a while ago—ages ago it seemed—where he'd sworn that he would never hurt her—that she could count on him to never let her down and yet, that was exactly what he was doing.

He pulled her to him, a hand tipping her chin up before he brought his lips down to hers. The kiss was so different from the one they'd shared earlier. There was less urgency, but it was just as passionate. His lips moved tenderly against hers and she found herself grabbing a fistful of his shirt, pulling him close.

"I love you Bella Swan," he breathed as he pulled back. "I will always love you."

Bella nodded solemnly. She never questioned his love for her.

"I love you Jacob." She replied leaning into his touch as he brushed away more of her fallen tears.

"Until your heart stops beating," he reminded her, placing his other hand just over her chest.

_This was it_, Bella thought.

They were saying goodbye. She looked back hastily and noticed that it was already dark out. She didn't know where the time had gone. Then again, she shouldn't have been surprised. Time always had a way of getting away from her whenever she came to visit Jacob. She enjoyed his company so much, it always seemed like there were never enough hours in the day.

"Bye Jake." She whispered as she looked up at him.

He offered her a pained smile. It was all he had in him. "Bye Bells."

With a determined nodded, she took a deep breath and did one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do.

Bella walked away from Jacob Black.

***

Jacob ran a hand over his brow before stifling a huge yawn. He settled down on the sofa, ignoring the limited space as he leaned back and closed his eyes. For three weeks now, he'd been patrolling non-stop and he was more than grateful for it.

Having something to preoccupy all his time meant that he spent less time thinking about Bella, and at the moment, that trumped the need for sleep.

Sam actuallythought it was wise to step up the patrolling with the impending nuptials taking place in town. No doubt more bloodsuckers would be populating the area so it was better to be safe than sorry. A small part of Jacob, however, knew that the Cullens would not let any of their clan get out of hand, especially for such an occasion, but the prospect of tearing his claws into granite-like skin was too appealing. He salivated at the idea of one of them possessing amber eyes and copper toned hair.

_Three weeks and nothing; not a word._

He hadn't heard from Bella since she left his house.

_Or when you kicked her out_, his conscious clarified but he didn't want to dwell on that little fact. He didn't want to dwell on any of it to be completely honest because it hurt.

Jacob scoffed.

It hurt like hell, but there wasn't much he could do about it. Bella had made her choice. Sure, she'd offered him the prospect of sharing one night together but what was that, compared to the number of beautiful nights they could have had? He would have just been tempting himself in the end.

_Why get hooked on the first hit when it is abundantly clear that your supplier has plans to go elsewhere for future business?_ He asked himself.

No, he'd done the right thing.

That was the only certainty he knew regarding this entire situation. He'd made the right decision in sending her back to her fiancée. If he was who Bella truly wanted, their marriageshould not begin with a transgression such as her giving herself to another man weeks before the wedding.

Jacob seriously doubted that Bella would keep something like that from her sparkly love to begin with. He even doubted that Edward would not still want her in the end if they'd acted on her little request.

It all truly rested on Bella.

She had to make the decision. To choose whether to sever the tie or not, but it did not seem as if she wanted to or was even capable of doing such a thing.

So Jacob, as unfathomable as it may have sounded, was going to have to learn how to live life without the love or friendship of Isabella Swan.

"Oh fuck this!" He groaned loudly, rising to his feet.

He didn't care that, at the moment, he was literally dead on his feet. He couldn't just sit in this little house alone—Billy was at the Clearwater's, again—and wallow in his own misery. If nothing else**,** he believed in being productive. If sleep would not take him tonight, he thought of nothing better than going back out on patrol. Sure Paul had relieved him, but it never hurt to have an extra pair of eyes and teeth out there in caseof trouble.

Jacob opened the door,prepared to walk out into the icy, cold rain that pelted down in buckets from the sky. However, what he was not prepared to see wasthe girl who had been plaguing his thoughts day after day, out on his front lawn. She was completely soaked and seemingly battling with herself on whether to come inside or not.

"Bella…?

Out of habit, he immediately thought that something might be wrong. He rushed to her, getting soaked within seconds. The cold, however, did not fazehim.

"Bella, are you okay? Is Charlie alright?" He asked. Anxiously, he searched her face.

With hooded eyes, Bella looked up at him. "I missed you," she breathed with a smile.

Jacob ushered Bella inside the house. He left her in the front room as he walked down the hall in search of towels to help dry them off. When he returned, he found Bella pacing.

Her hair was matted together, sticking to either side of her face, and her blue jeans and white t-shirt clung to her skin. Jacob tried his best to remain a gentleman as he averted his eyes from her chest.

He offered her a towel, using the other to absently dry himself off.

"Bella what are you doing here?"

He should have been happy to see her. He _was_ happy to see her, but he was a little confused. Didn't she have a wedding to prepare? They'd said their goodbyes already. Ifnothing had changed, what was she doing here?

He watched as she sighed, tossing the unused towel on the couch.

Jacob groaned. "Come on Bella, you're freezing."

He touched her arm and sure enough it was like ice under his touch. He grabbed her discarded towel and proceeded to dry out her hair at least. He would have to wrestle up some old clothes of Rachael's or maybe some sweatpants and an old t-shirt from his pre-werewolf days.

He worked the towel through her hair, patting away most of the moisture. She leaned into his touch, sighing contently. He continued until he felt her hand reach back and touch his. Halting his movements, she turned to face him.

"Jacob I need to tell you something," she said. "Alice saw my future disappear today."

"Okay," he nodded. He vaguely remembered the pixie-sized vampire with the ability to see into the future. "That would be… bad?" He guessed, not really understanding where all of this was going.

"Jake, I've looked at you so many times but I don't think I've ever actually looked at you."

Jacob laughed softly, "Honey you're not making any sense."

Bella winced. She knew she probably wasn't but she just needed to get this out. "Please just let me finish, okay?"

He simply nodded.

"Do you remember when we first got to know each other?" She smiled a genuine smile. "When I brought the bikes to you?"

Jacob grinned, despite the randomness of the question. "Oh, course of I do," he said. "You were a mess Bells." He remembered that day all too well. It was the day that Bella had spoiled him for any other girl.

"Do you ever wonder why I came to you?" shewondered. "Why I was so eager to learn how ride, even when it was obvious that I was—that I am—a bit accident prone?"

He frowned.

He'd never really thought about it to such an extent. He liked her and he enjoyed spending time with her. It didn't matter to him the reason why.

"It was so I could be closer to him," sheconfessed, absently walking around the room. "When he left,Jake, I'd never felt…I was so broken, I just wanted…needed something to just close up the hole that was left in my heart. He made me promise that I wouldn't do anything reckless, that I'd be safe and I did but what I discovered was that whenever I broke the rules, whenever I tempted fate, I could hear him."

Jacob's frown deepened. "What do you mean, 'hear him'?"

Bella scoffed. "I know it sounds crazy, butI could hear him telling me not to make careless decisions, to not put myself in danger and at the time Jacob, I needed that." She swore. "I needed it so bad."

He simply nodded. "Okay."

He still didn't understand where she was going with this but he trusted that she would work itout; whatever she was trying to tell him.

"Fact is, Jacob,I didn't really see." Bella continued. "I noticed how I felt lighter when you were around and how subdued the ache in my chest became. The nightmares were even kept at bay but I never just gave up on my own agenda tolook at all you were doing for me."

Jacob sighed. He felt the urge to intercede but he didn't.

_What did it matter how we became friends?_ He should have cared that she'd been using him just to remember the leech when he'd abandoned her, but he didn't.

He knew that the friendship they began on that day was real. It didn't negate what they were to each other in the end.

She stopped moving, turning to face him. "Jacob, I've been such an idiot," she declared and Jacob had to laugh.

_What __is____she going on about?_ He still didn't understand why she was here, standing in the rain no less, and why she was bringing up their whole back story as if he hadn't lived through it himself.

"Bella please, just spit it out," he urged.

"I love you Jake." Bella spoke as if it were some grand declaration that she'd been holding in forever and just had thecourage to speak aloud. "I love you so much."

"…Okay?" he trailed, still confused. "I love you too Bells."

His voice wasmatter-of-fact. He knew that already. Just as she knew how he felt about her. Her behavior, however, was starting to worry him "Bella, what's wrong?"

Her face fell. "That's what's wrong." She sighed.

Jacob was thoroughly confused now. "What?" He asked.

Bella shook her head. "I've told you I loved you before and at this point I shouldn't be surprised that it doesn't mean what it's supposed to. In the past it's never been enough." She grabbed a hold of Jacob's hands, gazing up at him.

_In the past?_ Jacob caught.

Bella pulled his right hand up to rest over her chest, over her heart. _"I. love .you."_ She stressed. "So please believe me when I tell you Jacob Black that…my heart is still beating and it's crying out for you—only for you." She cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Pick me Jake…please pick me."

Jacob was absolutely floored.

She was repeating the words he'd spoken to her not so long ago, onthe day he'd declared his love for her.

"…_pick me instead of him,"_ he remembered saying to her. _"Until your heart stops beating Bella…I'll be here—fighting." _

Was he still fighting?

It was hard to believe thatafter going through so much just to get Bella to see that he was the better choice,she would choose him during endgame.

It was crazy, but he wanted more. He wanted to hear her say it.

Without hesitation, he scooped Bella up into his arms and captured her lips. He gripped her tightly, working his mouth so thoroughly with hers that her body molded into his. Bella was literally breathless when he released her so suddenly.

"Say it," he breathed softy. His eyes were closed as he rested his head against hers.

"What?" She moaned softly, loving the feel of his body against her. It was all she could think about for the past three weeks they were apart; his hands on her. "What?"

"I need to hear you say it Bells." He whispered in her ear. He ran a tongue over her earlobe and smirked with satisfaction when she took in a sharp breath.

Bella tried to rack her brain—it wasn't exactly helping her thought process as he sucked and nibbled onher lobe—on what he was asking of her. It wasn't long, however, before realization dawned on her.

She grinned, pulling back to look at him.

"I want you Jacob," Her face was serious, eyes unwavering. "I choose you."

It sounded better than Jacob could ever have imagined.

By the time Jacob got Bella into his bedroom, their lips had found each other once again. Her hands tangled his hair as he ran his hands up the small of back, holding her tightly against him. He trailed kisses across her jaw line, down to the curve of her neck where he proceeded to run his tongue over the salty, smooth skin before sucking greedily. He was rewarded with a series of faint moans before he felt Bella buck against him impatiently.

He bit back a groan, closing his eyes.

He was fighting to keep the wolf at bay, to be careful with her, but it was becoming too much. He could already smell her arousal and it only served to worsen the growing bulge in his sweat pants. Gently, he placed Bella down onto the bed.

She was panting as her hands immediately went for the buttons of her soaked shirt, desperate to lose all the clothing that separated their bare skin from each other. Jacob already had one up on her, being shirtless as always. Working the buttons with one hand, she led back further onto the bed, allowing her eyes to roam up his body lustfully. She took in his chiseled abs and his strong chest and forearms. Even the way his sweatpantshung loosely on his hips, had her fighting to calm her breath. She'd never given herself the luxury of admiring Jacob, but God, he was a beautiful man. He didn't dazzle, he ignited.

Jacob ran his tongue over theskin of her cleavage, sucking and trailing gentle kisses. With an impatient groan, he moved Bella's hands aside as he took hold of her shirt and ripped it open, buttons flying here and there.

Bella grunted at the force, but she was more than happy to be rid of her shirt. She watched with undeniable satisfaction as Jacob's eyes darkened. His gaze wandered down to her breasts, still concealed in her lacy, black bra. She reached behind her, undoing the clasp.

He wasted no time in pulling her closer and sucking. His mouth worked on one, teasing her nipple with his teeth and tongue while he fondled the other in his hand. Her whimpers of pleasure urged him on.

He undid her fly, tugged on the waistband of her soaked jeans, sliding them off one leg at a time. He was going to make sure that Bella enjoyed this. It was her first time (not his, but she didn't need to know that)and he knew he would have to be careful with her. He hooked his fingers underneath the fragile material of her black panties, sliding them off slowly.

The sight before Jacob literally took his breath away.

It was Bella, lying in his bed completely naked and yearning only for him. She was absolutely gorgeous.

He touched her with one finger and felt her wetness. She arched her back at the gentle probing before he lowered his face down between her legs and ran his tongue over her clitoris. He was rewarded when Bella hissed sharply, shivering beneath him.

Bella did not…oh, there were not words to describe how she felt at that moment. It felt so _good!_ She found herself quickly widening her legs to give him further access.

She didn't expect this from him. She didn't know what to expect really, but when he ran his tongue up and down her center, sucking and lapping so hungrily, she didn't know how long she could last. She thrashed and moaned his name as he held a vice grip around her thighs. She felt his fingers separate her folds before his mouth latched on to her clit and sucked hard.

Her fingers gripped the sheets beneath her as she fought against putting them in his hair.

"Oh God! Jake!" She let out a grunted moan, her mouth opening wide as her eyes rolled back into her head, a thin film of sweat coating her skin as he plunged his tongue inside her. "Jake!" She bucked her hips erratically in an effort to match the friction of his mouth, but his grip still held her down.

Jacob was content with torturing her, her screaming his name was like music to his ears. He removed his lips from her center only to replace them with a finger. He slid one, then another into her tightness, before replacing his tongue on her nub giving it a couple of flicks.

With the overstimulation, Bella felt her thighs began to shake and she couldn't stop her hands from grabbing the back of his head and clutching his hair as hecontinued to eat her out.

"Oh, my—Jacob!" Her voice was strangled as she came with an explosion; her body taut as she rolled her head from side to side, crying out his name.

Taking a few more licks for good measure, Jacob climbed back up her body.

"It's okay, Bells," he soothed, kissing her dewy skin as she slowly came down from her orgasmic high. "You're okay." He placed loving kisses on her forehead and cheeks before settling on her lips. He kissed her fully, knowing that she was sure to taste herself on his lips.

She rested her hands on his hips, trying to keep up with his lips. She was still slightly out of it as histongue slipped inside her mouth. She ran her fingers under the elastic waistband of his sweats, over his bare ass before pushing them down.

She couldn't take anymore foreplay. She wanted Jacob inside her and she wanted him now. Reaching between his legs, she gently stroked his thick cock, pre-cum already on the tip of his erection. It was weird holding his manhood in her hands and she found herself in awe looking at it. She was a bit nervous wondering if with its size, if it would…fit, but at the same time, she reveled at the thought of him filling her, subduing the ache that still resided between her legs.

A hiss escaped his lips as she stroked him again and fondled his balls. He threw back his head let out a low growl. "I love you Bella."

She took a hold of his lips once more while guiding him to her opening. She lifted her hips as he slowly entered her. Bella wasn't going to lie—it hurt.

The discomfort showed on her face and Jacob stilled. He looked at her with anxious yet, hungry eyes. "Are you okay?" He breathed. It would take all of his willpower to do so, but if he was hurting her, he'd rather they stopped.

"No." She shook her head. "No, please don't stop," she practically begged. The pain was quickly subsiding as her walls adjusted to him. After a few seconds with Jacob showering her with kisses all over her face, from her eyes to her cheeks and nose, she made a tentative move: raising her hips.

Following her lead, Jacob withdrew slightly before pushing back in. "I love you Bella," he whispered against her ear. He heard her moan softly as he moved at a slow, but steady pace. "I love you so much." With each thrust, he declared his love for her again…and again… and again.

"I love you, too," she murmured in a strangled voice. Their bodies moved in a rhythm. She caressed the russet skin of his forearms, running her fingers down the strong muscles of his back. She loved how perfectly they fit together.

Jacob tried to keep the pace slow, for fear of hurting her**,** but as he thrust a little deeper, her legs opening wider, he was starting to shake.

"Bella," he pleaded through gritted teeth. His hips moved a bit faster as he squeezed his eyes closed.

"It's okay Jake," she panted. Her eyes slowly closed as she matched his urgency with her own. "It's okay…"

She knew he was on the brink of losing control and the thought merely intensified her own building need for release. Locking her legs around Jacob's waist, Bella rocked her hips and clenched, purposely tightening the muscles of her opening. This caused Jacob to gasp. The friction of his warm, smooth shaft inside her was quickly bringing her to the edge.

Jacob was getting hot.

He knew he ran at a higher temperature than others due to being a werewolf but never had he felt the discomfort of his own fevered body. He let out a low growl and felt his teeth grow jagged. The heat seemed to intensify as he got closer to a hot, sweet release and with it came an intense desire to mark Bella as his own.

He buried his face into the curve of her neck. He felt her run her hands up through his hair while trailing a few kisses up his neck. When she placed one just above his shoulder blade, Jacob did not know what came over him but he cried out before biting down into Bella's shoulder. She screamed out his name in ecstasy as they came together. He gripped her tightly, pressing deeper into her tight,wet core. A stream of "I love yous" escaped her lips.

It took Jacob a few minutesbefore he caught his breath**,** his body trembling on top of her. A thin film of sweat now coated his skin while Bella's hairstuck to her skin from the perspiration. He immediately latched onto the bite he'd inflicted on her shoulder, his teeth returning to normal. He licked and lapped at the bite. It wasn't deep, but he had indeed broken the skin and his teeth marks were now imprinted on her pale skin.

_That was incredible_, he marveled, both frightened and elated that he'd left his mark on her. He wasn't exactly sure what had come over him, but the feel of her beneath him, breathing his name as they both came closer to the edge stirred a primal urge. It was a feeling he'd never experienced before and being the true alpha that he was, he'd wanted to claim her. The wolf inside him purred in satisfaction.

Bella was in a daze.

_What the hell is he doing to me?_ She wondered as his teeth grazed over the skin where he'd just bitten her. She was starting to lose focus, eyes rolling back slightly as her toes involuntarily started to curl. Her hands gripped his back desperately while she pulled him closer, deeper inside.

His lips… on that spot… that ache.

She found herself squirming underneath him and him hardening inside her once more.

"Jacob please!" She begged.

For what exactly, she was not sure.

She felt like she was coming undone; like the bones in her body had been transformed to jelly and there was nothing solid to keep her whole. Her breathing quickened, coming out ragged and she realized that for the third time tonight, Jacob was about to make her cum.

She arched her back and started to buck. Jacob was already plunginginto her, letting out a deep, throaty growl with each even thrust. Faster and faster, harder and harder they went, working in perfect unison until Bella felt the swelling of Jacob's cock and the tightening of her walls around him before he came inside of her. The heat of his essence along with his growls of carnal pleasure triggered an orgasm in her that made the room spin. She thrashed violently underneath him and cried out for a higher power, because sex such as this—love making such as this—was too much to bear.

Jacob showered her with kisses as her breathing started to slow back down to normal.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, staring down at her. She was drenched in sweat. Her mouth slightly ajar and her eyes hooded as she tried to regain focus. He'd never imagined that he would be here right now; he'd hoped that one day he could express his love to her in the physical sense, but even that did not compare to how he felt at this moment, still joined together in the most intimate of ways.

Bella Swan had him.

If it hadn't been true before, it sure as hell would be now. He nuzzled against her cheek, an act associated with showing affection in wolf form. She was his mate now, in every possible sense of the word.

"I'm…perfect," she stressed, pulling his lips down to hers. Her fingers caressedthe back of his neck as she kissed him gently, tenderly.

Bella felt like…_ there wasn't enough air in the world_.

Her entire body hummed with electricity that was so foreign and she felt this overwhelming pull toward Jacob. It paled in comparison to her need to be with himduring her time of depression. This was what she'd been running away from all this time?

_Never again_, she swore. Her eyes were open now and all she could see was Jacob Black.

When he pulled away, she let out a small whimper in disappointment.

He grinned down at her, showing impeccable white teeth.

He made a move to pull out of her and with all the speed and strength Bella had she clutched her legs tighter together and immediately felt the tip of his cock hit the side of her wall. Both moaned in unison. It was strange but Jacob's intense heat wasn't even bothering her in the least. As a matter of fact, she felt as if her temperature actually matched Jacob's warmth. She loved it.

"Bella, honey, don't do that." He grunted from deep in his throat. He could feel a growing erection from the slightest friction.

"Don't go." She pouted. Her hands gripped on either side of his middle in anattempt to hold him there. "Lay here," she urged, nestlingback into the pillow. She was being bold, but the truth was she didn't think she had the sexual capacity to go another round, at least not right now. She was physically drained and Jacob knew that as her legs had a weak hold on him.

"Let's go to sleep like this." She pulled at his arm, bringing him down on top of her. She did not want to be without him just yet. He filled her so completely that she was not anxious feel the void that would surely come with him no longer inside of her.

He adjusted his position soas not to crush her and made a mental note that this was not going to work. With a quickness that Bella could never match, he hoisted her up and switched positions. She was now on top, straddling him, but still connected all the same.

She smiled, placing a light peck on his lips before settling in the curve of his neck. She nestled against his chest, breathing a deep sigh of contentment.

"Hey Bells," Jacob smiled. She could feel his breathonherdamp hair. "Your heart's still beating."

She grinned, propping her head up to look into his eye.

"Only for you Jake," she took a deep breath. "Always for you."

***

**Five Years Later…**

"Come on Mom!"

Bella grinned as her four year old daughter put her hands on her hips and struck a dramatic pose. "I'm with you Maddie."

Never missing a beat, she fell in tow with Madison, moving in sync with the upbeat tune that filtered throughout the spacious living room. After so many years of being a hazard to herself and others merely by walking from one room to another, she could not believe that she was actually _dancing_.

Or the fact that she was half decent—in her daughter's eyes at least—but that was more than enough. They were dressed in their pajamas, enjoying the last of their mother-daughter weekend before the boys got back from their fishing trip.

Bella laughed, grabbing a hold of Maddie's little hands. She shuffled both of them from side to side before gently twirling her around. Her hips swayed freely to the music as she moved throughout the room. She didn't know any real dance numbers so bobbing her head wildly while swaying her hips or even the occasional flinging of her arms in a helicopter motion above her head, was all she had in her arsenal.

She mimicked Madison's movements, shaking hair that was identical in color though longer than her little one. She watched Maddie in wonder as she moved her body from side to side, the brightest smile—her father's smile—on her face while she danced. She absolutely loved it and Bella absolutely loved her.

She could not resist picking her up in her arms and twirling her around as the music continued. She tickled her relentlessly with one hand and laughed at the fit of giggles that escaped her lips. In all honesty, Bella could not figure out how her little munchkin had become so struck with dance fever. Ever since she was old enough to walk, Madison loved to shake her little tush at any and everyone who'd stand there to watch her and it just so happened that she thought her mother the perfect partner.

Bella certainly didn't have that enthusiasm for dance as a child and she seriously doubted that Maddie's father's had anything to do with it. The poor guy had no rhythm whatsoever, although, you couldn't tell him that.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?"

Bella and Madison's head whipped around to the front door.

_Speak of the handsome devil_, she thought, smiling. "Look who's here Maddie!"

"Daddy!"

Madison wiggled out of Bella's arms, running into those of her father.

Jacob laughed as he picked her up with an excited groan. He planted a big, noisy kiss on her right cheek, holding her in his arms. "How are my ladies?" he grinned, walking toward Bella.

"We were missing you like crazy," she replied, tilting her head up to meet his lips. "How was the trip?" His real welcome home kiss, among other _activities_, would come later that night.

"It was—" Jacob began to speak, but was cut off.

"It was _so_ awesome Mom!" Matthew ran through the front door, jumping into Bella's arms. Charlie towed behind him, wheeling Billy inside the house.

"There's my big man!" she cooed, hugging him tightly. She showered him with endless kisses. "Oh, I missed you so much!"

Jacob grinned as Matt groaned.

"Mom! You're suffocating me!" He complained, squirming in her grasp. "Dad?"

Jacob shook his head. "Sorry son, but I don't have that much pull; especially when it comes to telling your mother what to do."

"He's right, Matt," Charlie agreed, nodding his head. "It's never wise to go against a woman, especially a mother. It never ends well. It's best to just go with it. Whatever they say or do, they're always right."

Bella laughed as she shuffled Matt in her arms.

He was getting so big. It seemed like just yesterday when she and Jacob brought him and Maddie home from the hospital. The look on Jacob's face when the doctor told her she was pregnant with twins—that was something to see.

"Hey Dad, Billy, caught anything good?"

"Good ole freshwater trout." Billy announced, proudly patting the small, red cooler in his lap. "We brought some for you."

"Okay," she put Matt down and grabbed the cooler. "Let me grab it and put it in the freezer."

Jacob made a move to stop her, putting Maddie down as well. "Honey, let me grab that," he urged, reaching for the container, but Bella wouldn't hear of it.

"I've got it." She stressed with a smile. The cooler was not heavy at all. She held the handle with ease. "Are you guys hanging out with us for a little bit?" she asked, addressing both Charlie and Billy.

Charlie shook his head, "No, sweetie, I have to be at the station early tomorrow morning."

"And I have to get Dad back to the reservation," Jacob said. "There's a council meeting tonight."

Bella nodded, "Are you staying for the meeting?"

He shot her an apologetic look. "Yes, but it won't take long, I promise."

She raised her hand to stop him. He didn't have to apologize for anything. He was the alpha and she really didn't want him get behind on his duties just because they did not live on the reservation. She understood how important it was for him to attend.

"I'll see you when you get back," she said. "And you two," she turned, pointing to Matt and Madison who were horse playing with each other around the living room. "It's getting past your bed time. Let's go upstairs and I'll be up in a little bit to tuck you in."

Matt whined, "But mom, I'm not even tired." He looked at her with those puppy-dog eyes.

Bella shook her head. Her son's dark wavy hair and rich complexion was not all he inherited from his father.

Jacob scooped up both his children, throwing each over his shoulders.

"Daddy!" Madison giggled. She grabbed a fistful of his shirt trying to hold on.

"You guys heard your mother," he said giving Bella a sly wink as he headed up the stairs. "Off to bed with you."

She laughed, turning back to her guests. She gave Billy a hug then Charlie. "I'll stop by soon Dad," she said, knowing that he was probably getting tired of eating take out every night instead of a home cooked meal. He simply nodded before wheeling Billy back out of the house to Jacob's gray Suburban.

"Bye Bella," Billy said.

She waved, "See ya," before heading into the kitchen where she proceeded to pack the fish into freezer-sized zip-locked bags. Once done, she washed her hands and nearly turned to head up stairs when a sudden movement caught her eye.

She leaned closer, staring out the window that looked out into the back yard. She strained her eyes and took in a sharp breath when _he _emerged from the forest into the moonlight.

Bella put her hand over her mouth in shock.

Edwardwas as ethereally beautiful as ever.

Five years had passed and he looked exactly the same. The reddish-brown hair, the lovely pale skin, and _seventeen_; he still looked seventeen.

She didn't know why that fact unnerved her most considering he was a vampire, but staring at him, so unchanged while she was now twenty-three, a mother, and wife made her a little sad for him.

He was stuck.

A small part of Bella was surprised that he'd bothered to watch out for her after all this time, but she knew deep down that Edward only wanted to see her happy and she truly was.

She smiled at him and he returned a somber one of his own. It was funny but his gaze, even his smile no longer had a disorienting effect on her.

_What was it?_ She wondered, racking her brain. _Oh, right, the dazzle effect_, she remembered.

There was not a day that Bella regretted choosing to be with Jacob. He and their children brought such a light and joy to her life that she could not fathom ever making the conscious choice to remain eighteen forever with skin as hard as granite and cold as ice.

She jumped in surprise when she felt Jacob behind her.

His arms wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her to him. The heat of his body was soothing as well as his earthy scent. She leaned back into him, gripping his arm.

"Is your heart still beating Bells?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.

Bella didn't have to look up at him to know that his gaze was on Edward, but the vampire's amber eyes remained on her. She smiled, contently sighing in his arms.

After five wonderful years together and two beautiful children, her response had not changed since their first night together.

"Always Jake."

She turned to face him, unaware that Edward had disappeared into the night.

"Only for you," she breathed before pulling him in for a breathtaking kiss, a mere preview of what was in store for him when he returned from the meeting.


End file.
